Looking for the best campgrounds near Garrison, MT? Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Garrison is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
"A good chunk of mostly flat spots with a few fire rings. The road in is pretty bumpy but otherwise maintained. Keep this one close to your chest… keep it clean and less traveled haha."
"Up a forest service road, so four-wheel-drive came in handy. A bit muddy. There are a variety of sites available, some are easier to access than others."
"Easy access to the creek for fishing. great little fire pit."
"We didn’t stay at this exact site as it was taken but there one more dispersed site about a mile or so down the road."
"Bumped in to this disperse campsite while heading out for a hike. "
"There were just a few cars driving back down the mountain in the evening. But no one bothered."
"Road going around to the other side of the reservoir is gated and closed now."
"Many states out west allow dispersed camping on select public lands owned by the Bureau of Land management."
"Camping is dispersed and a little eerie. This ghost town is complete with still stocked shops, empty hotels with beds left in and slowly aging buildings."
"There’s a big area that had a dozen RVs & tents, but it was late & we wanted space so we followed a rough dirt road 1/2 a mile to find a spot in the trees."
"The dispersed camping is super easy to find, and it's right off the highway! It was perfect for a quick spot to camp on our way home to Colorado instead of getting a hotel room."
"first dispersed camping spot for Lolo from the entry road for this Forest Service land entry."
"Verizon has around 2 bars, there's no toilets or running water."
RangerMany states out west allow dispersed camping on select public lands owned by the Bureau of Land management. You need to pick up a map of exactly where you’re allowed to camp (there are no facilities, obviously). You can also rent “cabins” which are buildings from before the building became ghosted (but have been updated). Even if you don’t want to camp you can tour the town and have a surreal afternoon imagining what it’d be like to be a miner back in the day.
Guidefirst dispersed camping spot for Lolo from the entry road for this Forest Service land entry. Just cross the bridge, and be careful of high water (signs stating it's impassable 100 yards past the photo of the bridge when high water.) The grey area is public land the white square at the end of the road is private property by the map legend.
maps attached are screenshots from the National Forest Service online map as of Sept. 8th, 2023.
The dots show where dispersed camping is allowed for this spot.
LegendBumped in to this disperse campsite while heading out for a hike. This is one of three disperse campsite along the Little Blackfoot River in the Helena National Forest that have been marked by the Forest Service as a disperse camping area. This is a nice large flat right next to the creek with plenty of room for multiple tents or RVs. The site has a large rock fire ring and the big bonus of having a picnic table. A short trail leads to the river, but does require a little bit of scrambling. The River (more of a creek at this point) has a nice spot if you need to cool off from the summer heat. Another short trail goes up a small hill and leads to an area with lots of fallen trees which can be cut for firewood if fire restrictions are not in place. The only bad thing about this disperse site is that it is right next to the road.
LegendThis is the 3rd and final disperse site that the Helena National Forest has marked along the little Blackfoot River. It is nice to be sure that you are on public land when in an area checker boarded with private land. This is a large flat camping area with plenty of room for tents and several RV's. Site has a large rock fire ring, and the river is only a few short flat feet away. Plenty of wood can be found for making a fire. Site is near the road, but very little traffic comes this way as you are almost at the roads end. Water can be easily filtered from the river (more like a creek at this point)
LegendThis is the second disperse camping sit along the Little Blackfoot River that has been marked as a disperse campsite by the Helena National Forest. It is nice having these sits marked by the Forest Service as their are several parcels of private land along the road. This site is small with only one small level area for a tent of mid sized RV. The site has a large rock fire ring in the center. Their is no easy trail access to the river. Plenty of down trees in the area for firewood if you have a way to cut them, their is also plenty of small stuff that can be easily collected for a fire. Site is right next to the road, but road noise should be little to none as a few curves will slow vehicles down and their isn't much more road left until the campground and trailhead at the end of the road.
ScoutThere’s a big area that had a dozen RVs & tents, but it was late & we wanted space so we followed a rough dirt road 1/2 a mile to find a spot in the trees. The Homestake Trailhead down the road has a bathroom. We did have a weird experience: a truck camped near us with two people who openly watched us the entire morning & followed us to the trailhead before driving on.
GuideNot for low clearance vehicles, it’s not far off the highway but we struggled with the two narrow bridges with tight turns in our travel trailer and then there’s a large flood way dip in the road that you can bottom out on. Unsure if this was legal camping as there are no defined spots and limited pull offs. Felt like I was looking over my shoulder for a ranger. Most everything is exposed to direct sunlight so it gets HOT in the summer. Our AC did not even budge the temps sometimes. Good fishing access and a cool area to visit. We overnighted here a couple nights before going to ekstrom which is before this place when getting off the highway and has power and water for a recharge day.
GuideCamping is dispersed and a little eerie. This ghost town is complete with still stocked shops, empty hotels with beds left in and slowly aging buildings. It is an interesting look at the mining industry in Montana. There are numerous interpretive signs and information about the building throughout the town and rangers on site during the summer months to answer questions. During the winter two of the cabins (the larger of which is the old saloon) are available to rent through the forest service. Most of my recent trips have been during the winter months, where the town is only accessible by ski, snow shoe or feet. Then it is silent and strange but heart breakingly beautiful.
TravelerRoad in was 100% washboard, but the campsite was decent. Had to traverse a lot of private property to access it, and the locals do not appear to be friendly. A few fellow campers were a bit sketchy, so be wary. Enjoyed some great trout fishing in the adjacent creek though!
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Garrison, Montana, where nature's tranquility awaits. With a variety of scenic spots, campers can enjoy the great outdoors while embracing the freedom of camping without the constraints of traditional campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Garrison, MT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Garrison, MT is Racetrack Dispersed Campsite with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 16 dispersed camping locations near Garrison, MT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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